Take Me Back Home
by runicmagitek
Summary: The day is saved and Lorule is far from operational. Amidst repairs, Ravio wonders if he can continue his role beside Hilda. Post-canon Hilda & Ravio


_for __Phlyarologist for the multifandom drabble exchange on AO3_

* * *

Light filtered through grey clouds and gave way to white wisps. The sky brightened, as did every inch of Lorule. It almost mirrored Hyrule's vibrant colors. In time, the monsters would retreat and the inhabitants cowering elsewhere would emerge and return.

Ravio frowned at the thought—so much to rebuild with fewer people than resources to complete a hefty task. How did one repair a world after flirting with certain destruction? The return of Lorule's Triforce could only heal so much.

He looked to Princess Hilda, both overlooking Lorule from the castle's highest vantage point. She clutched her staff, red eyes regarding the land with both worry and determination. What possibly swirled in her mind? Something better than Ravio's thoughts; he already proved himself useless, after all.

Well, perhaps not entirely. His cowardice yielded help where they least expected it.

It didn't stop him from sighing and dropping his gaze. _I'll never be the hero this world needs, though._ Another thought eviscerated his heart. _Or what you need, Hilda._

"So."

Ravio jolted upright. "P-princess?"

Attention to the horizon, Hilda inhaled and said, "What do we do now?"

"Um… do you have any thoughts, Princess?"

"I'm asking _you_, Ravio."

Despite her gentle timbre, he still flinched. "Well, uh… hmm… I guess if it were me, I'd want to sweep up the place. All that rubble left unattended isn't going to do anyone any favors." He paused, hoping Hilda would fill the silence—she didn't. "But… rubble… oh! The village to the west. That's in rubble. We should put our efforts towards patching up the houses and shops."

She frowned. "There are still monsters inhabiting that area."

"So we take care of them."

Hilda locked wide eyes with Ravio.

"Nothing a few bombs can't fix," he added with a slight smile.

* * *

Ravio heaved a guttural sigh and slumped forward. "That should be the last of them."

"You handled them quite well," Hilda said, picking up her gown to evade mud and join his side.

Nervous laughter spilled from him. "Yeah, I try." Lobbing bombs to the fiends wasn't the most practical use, more so when each thwack with his hammer risked explosion on contact, but it was better than claws and teeth. At least he could brace for his own inadequacy.

Hilda furrowed her brow. "You don't give yourself enough credit."

_Oh geez, here we go._ "Just speaking the truth, Princess."

"As am I."

Ravio froze and hoped that sensation burning his cheeks wasn't turning him into a red rupee.

Hilda looked past his shoulder. "The damage is worse than I thought."

"The what?" He spun in place and eyed the ruins. "Yeesh, guess it is."

"You believe our efforts should focus here first?"

_Why do you keep asking what I want to do? _"Uh, sure. Something like that."

"Ravio."

"P-princess?"

She steadied a tender hand on his shoulder. "Please, I don't wish for you to be at odds with yourself anymore. You did what you deemed best for Lorule—for _me_."

"What I did… none of this would have happened if I confronted our problems head on. We wouldn't be here talking about clean up duty if I was better—"

"Who has ever excelled in a task that was forced upon them? It is cruel for me to demand something of you that doesn't resonate with your heart."

"I-I'm sorry, Princess."

"Please." She squeezed his shoulder. "Never be. I only want the best for you, Ravio."

He dared to meet her intense gaze. "Even if it doesn't mean I'm by your side?"

To his surprise, she nodded. "Even more so."

* * *

Overseeing the restoration of the Thieves' Town—which was more like Regular Folk Town now—meant less time in the castle.

"_It was your idea, Ravio,_" she had reminded him.

Regardless, her encouragement did little to quiet the demons haunting him.

Once Lorule was restored, what was he to do? Return to the castle and barely meet the expectations of a soldier, let alone a knight? He sighed and slumped into a fence, surrounded by bustling workers carrying lumber and assembling brick and mortar. What other path was there to take?

In those times he drifted from the present, he remembered that shop he established in Hyrule and how it marked the first time anxiety and indecision didn't riddle him.

"Ravio?"

He gasped. Hilda loomed above on a black steed. No doubt visiting to see his progress. Even after rushing his debriefing, Hilda's face tensed.

"Can I ask you something?"

She sat beside him on a patch of lush grass, the breeze catching in her hair while dusk settled in. Ravio stared, held his breath, and waited.

"I've been thinking," she said, as if carefully picking the right words, "about when I told you to do what felt true to you. And I've thought of myself and… well, what if I did something else?"

"Such as?"

A spark glimmered in her eyes. "What if I trained to be a knight?"

Ravio almost choked. "But why?"

"Why not?" Hilda shrugged. "I don't want to wait for another hero; I want to _be_ my own hero."

His heart plummeted. "Oh, right. That makes sense."

"Could you show me?"

"S-show you… what?"

That smile warmed him more than the sun ever would. "You were adamant with military supplies in your squire days. Surely you know your way around weapons better than anyone else."

* * *

A torrent of wind tore through the courtyard and ripped every leaf off a nearby tree. Ravio swallowed hard. _Better than the hole in the castle wall from the bombs,_ he thought.

Hilda gripped the tornado wand and pouted. "I thought I'd be better at this."

"We simply haven't found the right item for you, Princess! We haven't made a dent in our options. I'm certain there's one with your name on it." He chuckled. "Figuratively, anyways."

The boomerang proved difficult, but Hilda eased into the compound bow. Her stance was almost textbook perfect from the draw of the bowstring to the gentle release ghosting her jaw. The arrow didn't reach its targeted, but it still soared. And when Hilda's eyes lit up at her first attempt, Ravio fetched a quiver stuffed with arrows for her disposal.

Twilight graced the sky when Ravio freed a myriad arrows lodged in the haystack. He grinned and waved the arrows. "You're a natural, Princess!"

She hugged the bow. "I have an excellent teacher to thank for that." When he didn't acknowledge her compliment, Hilda followed him. "This is what makes you happy, doesn't it?"

"Teaching?"

"Not quite—supporting others. Whether that means instructing someone or picking the ideal item to sell—" Ravio evaded her eyes and blushed. "—it comes as natural to you as this bow does for me." Silence thickened between them and she sighed. "Ravio, please, what is it you wish for? Not what I expect to hear or what Lorule needs, but what _you_ want."

He blinked and summoned those sunny days spent restocking the shelves, sweeping the floors, and tallying new inventory. Perils threatened his home world, but it never bothered him. Nothing could in those moments.

Ravio found his voice and revealed what he hid from his princess.

* * *

Rations? Check. Spare blankets? Check. Freshly cleaned boots ready for any terrain? Double check.

"Ravio, is this truly necessary?"

Those words laced within a nervous giggle until the wind carried it to the heavens. Scrunching up his face, Ravio scanned Hilda's belongings—both fastened to her steed and on her person—one last time.

"Absolutely, Princess. Just think of the conundrum you'd be in if you didn't have snacks throughout your travels."

"I'm not going _that_ far."

"Far enough." He clapped his hands clean. "Well, you've passed my inspection. You're good to go!"

"How do I look?"

Hilda stood before him donning violet attire comprised of a tunic, trousers, knee-high boots, and a cloak. Multiple pouches dangled from her belt, each containing reagents for her magic spells and tools for survival. A rapier sat on her hip, a stocked quiver on her back, and a hookshot rigged to her left bracer. She swept bangs out of her eyes, the rest of her hair contained in a massive braid. Better suited for adventure than the throne room.

Ravio sighed and smiled. "Like a hero ready for the world."

Hilda mirrored his expression. "Will you be alright while I'm gone?"

"I'll make sure of it, Princess. Besides, your new advisers will ensure all runs smoothly in your absence."

She chuckled. "I won't be gone forever."

"No, but you might realize you love it more than you anticipated and—"

Tight arms enveloped Ravio. He blinked, staggered, and peered down to Hilda. She nestled against him, her heart fluttering with his.

"I'll return," she murmured, "just so I can see you again."

He coughed up laughter, gingerly sweeping his arms around her. "I wouldn't wish to inconvenience you."

"Hardly." Red eyes met his. "How else will you know if your lessons were a success?"

* * *

A gentle melody danced through the interior of Ravio's Extensive Emporium of Odds and Ends; Ravio hummed amidst his end of the day assessment of stock and ledgers. He smiled and counted that day's rupees, stowing enough for the register before stashing the rest in a safe. The setting sun spilled through the front window and set the empty shop aflame; swords and shields glittered in the light as polished trinkets shifted to a golden hue. Nothing stirred within, save for Ravio's dexterous fingers and Sheerow's intermittent chirps.

Then the bell chimed. Ravio ceased his tune and placed his pen down.

"Good evening!" he called out. "Just one moment and I will be right with you—"

He caught a glimpse of that familiar silhouette and almost choked on the air.

Dirt encrusted her travel-worn attire, but that grin radiated from Hilda. "I hope you're still open."

Ravio vaulted over the front counter and swept Hilda in his arms, lifting her from the floor and twirling about. She laughed and so did she. Something prickled in his eyes and blurred his sight.

"Princess!" he exclaimed, unable to loosen his hold on her. "You're back! Safe and sound!"

She nodded and blushed. "Would've been back sooner if a hinox didn't give me trouble."

"Oh, I have just the thing for that! Came in the other day, too!"

"You've really come into your own, too, haven't you?"

As if remembering his place, he chuckled and broke off their embrace. "Um, yeah, you could say that. I have _you_ to thank for with that generous grant, but uh—"

"You've done well, Ravio."

Her eyes absorbed his shop with nothing but admiration. And when her gaze returned to him, Ravio pushed those pesky purple bangs out of her eyes and smiled.

"So have you, Hilda."


End file.
